Last week, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton announced a new health reform initiative that, if successful, could provide better health care for 100,000 Minnesotans while lowering costs for taxpayers.

According to the state, the new system will “test a new payment model that prioritizes quality, preventive care and rewards providers for achieving mutually-agreed upon health goals,” and could save the state’s Medicaid program nearly $90 million over the next three years.

One of the six major health care providers to contract with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) under the new payment model is the Federally Qualified Health Center Urban Health Network (FUHN) which includes the University of Minnesota’s Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC).

According to Executive Director Deanna Mills, CUHCC has planned for this new system for more than a year in efforts to make the new pilot program successful. “We are shifting our care delivery model by building our capacity to provide care coordination that not only increases quality of care but also enhances patients’ satisfaction with our care,” said Mills.

The University of Minnesota’s Academic Health Center is home to six schools and colleges that train health professionals; centers, institutes, and labs that conduct groundbreaking research; and clinics and hospitals that provide patient care. Discover more▶